The car runs great and this past weekend on a tour visit to Panoz near Atlanta was cruising at 80mph and getting 25 mpg.

The problem is that in every gear the motor won't spin more than 5k like it was electronically limited. Can understand this in high gear but in kickdown mode it won't shift to the next higher gear.
When passing etc, you have to blip the accelerator to force a shift
and this is NOT normal as it should turn 6k easy.

A tech suggested looking into the power module and will in the morning. Putting this out tonight to see if anyone has run across this in the past and what their remedy was. This also would pertain to all the late V8s. The 400E is a 93 model.

Tobias MB
4 MBs

I'll answer my own post with the answer to my problem. As was suggested I opened the sealed box with all the control units inside and looked for one with fuses on top. The one on the end had a clear plastic cover with four 10A. fuses under it. I opened the cover and the first fuse I pulled was bad/blown. I checked all the others while I was in there and replaced the bad one. I then took the car out for a run to check the RPMs and sure enough it ran great and besides that the ABS light also went out which had been on solid previously.

So for the price of a fuse, two problems were corrected
What more could one ask for?

TobiasMB
4 MBs

THat is an interesting symptom for a blown Overvolt Protection Relay fuse... revs not more than 5000 rpm! Interesting.

Has your car been jump started or have you jumped anyone recently? That is what *usually* blows the fuse.

Glad your problem was solved and for cheap! I wish you would have let us known about the ABS light! Then we probably could have told you to check the fuse!

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

"I wish you would have let us known about the ABS light! Then we probably could have told you to check the fuse!"

My exact first impression. The fuses are in the base module and my first thoughts reading the initial post were to check modules for faults to see which defensive strategy is on. The Base module is a combination, fuel pump, air pump, klima, and overvoltage protection relay. It basically handles all the heavy current users and stabilizes the voltage for the other modules.

Good call on the fix and the report.

__________________
Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

but another I had completely forgot about! Was so happy to be able to wind the motor and the ABS, forgot the cruise control also was not active. Remembered today and tried it, and lo and behold, I have my C/C back.

The car has been in the body shop, battery disconnected for welding purposes, reconnected etc, run down, charged etc., etc. for the past three months! It was in for a new roof as I bought the car totalled at the salvage auction after an oak limb fell on the roof and was totalled by the ins. co. The w/s and rear glass were broken but all four doors opened and the sunroof went half way back and they totalled the car!! Drove it home from the auction with goggles on! This is why the fuses were blown.
Thanks for all the advice.

TobiasMB
4 MBs